!!!Hoffmann, Josef

b. Brtnice, Czech Republic (then Pirnitz), Dec. 15, 1870, 
d. Vienna, May 7, 1956, architect and designer of consumer goods. 
1892-1895 studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna under Baron C. 
 Hasenauer and O.  Wagner; it was in Wagner's studio that H. started 
his career (assisted in the work on the Vienna city railway). In 1897 
one of the founders of the Vienna  Secession, he and J. M.  Olbrich 
were its leading architects (design of exhibitions and of the 
interior). 1899-1937 taught at the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts. 
In 1903, together with F. Waerndorfer and K.  Moser H. founded the  
Wiener Werkstaette, which played a leading role in Austrian arts and 
crafts until it had to be closed down in 1932 because of financial 
problems. In 1912 H. founded the Austrian  Werkbund association which 
he belonged to until 1920. His most significant monumental works are 
the sanatorium in Purkersdorf, Lower Austria, (1903-1905, 1927) and 
the Palais Stoclet (1905-1911) in Brussels. In Vienna H. designed many 
grand houses, e.g. in the exclusive residential districts of Hohe 
Warte and Kaasgraben (both in the 19th district of Vienna) and the 
Werkbund residential estate in the 13th district of Vienna. Many 
municipal housing complexes (some jointly with other architects) are 
also by him, incl. Klosehof in the 19th district of Vienna and 
Winarskyhof (with P. Behrens, J. Frank, O. Strnad and O. Wlach) in the 
20th district of Vienna. H. also designed the interior of the 
Fledermaus revue theatre (1909), the Austrian state press (1909) and 
the Grabencafe (1912). The square is a commonly recurring motif in his 
work. H. was the pioneer of Viennese art nouveau, during the early 
years of the century he produced radical forms reminiscent of the 
abstract Cubist style, later changing to more moderate forms and 
finally he used classical elements - as was typical for his generation 
(Villa Skywa-Primavesi, 1913-1915); also introduced some elements of 
art deco. Awarded the Grand Austrian State Prize in 1950.

!Literature
E. F. Sekler, J. H. Das architektonische Werk, 1982.



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